Heroes and Rivals
by X-Man1
Summary: Nate's Journeys in the Age of ApocalypseIts the End of the Age of Apocalypse
1. Default Chapter

Heroes and Rivals  
  
Chapter One: The Beginning  
  
A dark figure stepped up to a glass tube. There was a young man floating in a tube of liquid. The figure checked the computer, life support...good, artificial growth...90 percent complete. The figure smiled, red eyes glowing, his greatest experiment was almost complete. The figure turned around and left the room.   
  
The tank bubbled as the figure opened his eyes, that smile was etched into his memory forever. It soon close his eyes again and slept. The bubbles rose around him.   
  
Sinister Records 00-124  
  
Welcome to the Age of Apocalypse, a world that I helped create. A world that not only feared mutants but also respected them. Respect that was earned by fear, fear of Apocalypse and his Horsemen. In the beginning there was on four, but over time that number grew, even I am a Horseman. In the late 1970's Apocalypse came into power, after staying in the shadows for a few millennia he decided that it was time to come into play. He watched the growing fear of mutants came into the limelight. Gathering a mass army of mutants, he conquered the US and Canada. What normal humans, or "flatscans" as the mutant population; that could escape knew them fled to Europe and Asia. Those that couldn't escape were either killed by cullings or by Apocalypse's first strike. The figure stopped typing and raised a hand up to his mouth, the figure sort of sighed and began to type again. I was brought in for my talents, red lips parted showing the figures gleaming white teeth. The name that was given to me was Sinister; it was given to me personally by my master, Apocalypse. It sounded better than my original name I must say. Below me in my section of control were my prelates, Scott and Alex Summers, brothers by blood, enemies by ego. When I found the two of them, they were near death. I brought them back with me, nursed them back to health and taught them to be two of my greatest soldiers. I gave them the code names of Cyclops and Havok. Alex received Havok for his uncontrollable temper, and for his white-hot plasma bursts. Cyclops was given to Scott because he was able to fire out a burst of energy from his eyes; they were only controlled when he wore a special visor made of ruby quartz. With my guidance they became true killing machines, each completely loyal to me, but Scott lost one of his eyes for my cause. It was during a break out from my "pens" when it happened. A rogue mutant named Weapon X had broken in and was trying to free his girlfriend, a telepath of the highest order, red head beauty Jean Grey. Scott chased them down and cornered them, Weapon X was known through the Apocalypse administration for his brutality when he was mad, a berserker rage. He lashed out taking out one of Scott's eyes, making him a true "Cyclops". Scott fired back taking off of Weapon X's hands. An eye for an eye, a hand for a hand, but alas X and Grey escaped. That is when Apocalypse pulled me in to start to genetically create humans, his true nature of keeping me around was clear. I was brought in for my brilliant scientific mind. Fine if that is what he wants, I must not turn against my master, both of us being immortals, he was not an enemy that I would like to have. So I begun my experiments, by bringing in a lower soldier of mine, his name was Dr. Henry McCoy. He was very interested in the genetic splicing, so much that he started to experiment on himself, turning him into a blue furred monster, a Beast, a Dark Beast. But alas between Dr. McCoy's and myself hard worked and accomplishments, our experiments never lasted long. By this time I was getting bored with Apocalypse, and appalled at his atrocities that he was doing to normal humans, murdering entire human families, men, women and children, no one was spared in his genetic cullings. One of the worst was the Horseman of Death, Holocaust-Apocalypse new "adopted" son. Holocaust led the army of "infinites" that were now calling themselves, in a rampage across the country, seeking out normal humans, and destroying them. Holocaust was once known as Nemesis, when Apocalypse attempted to steal the US's nuclear stockpile, he sent Nemesis to Magneto's school, to destroy it. Apocalypse was thinking ahead, knowing that Magneto would stop him using his "X-Men"; he would leave his school open. Nemesis attacked, killing numerous students and Magneto's daughter-the Scarlet Witch. Needless to say, Magneto was upset. Fighting Nemesis until he had destroyed him. But luckily Nemesis's mutant power was that he was able to control the ions of his body, allowing him to survive. Dr. McCoy created a body suit that contained Nemesis's ions, instead of it becoming a handicap; it ended up making Nemesis a living weapon. Allowing him to create powerful blasts of energy out of his "hands", with enough power to destroy anything it was fired at. Nemesis also decided then that his human name had no meaning to him now, since he was leading a holocaust of humans without the X-gene, he would forever be known as Holocaust. I was simply amazed at the power he contained; I had never seen anything like it in my years of being by Apocalypse's side. He was almost like an android, having no compassion, no conscience-a perfect killing machine.   
  
More tomorrow...  
  
End of Sinister Records  
  
Sinister stood from the computer and walked over to a window. Sinister stood by it and watched the blood red sky, the smoke rising from the factories below. The smell of charred flesh, both human and mutant, wafted in the air. No matter where he was at on Apocalypse Island, he could still hear the screams coming from the "Pens". New York city was destroyed, it was Apocalypse's territory and he chose it first, in territory buildup he split up the country between himself, Holocaust, myself and countless more Horsemen. Sinister smiled at the world he had helped create, if he ever dies, a hot burning hell would await him for all eternity, Sinister wasn't worried at all, he was immortal, nothing could kill him. Sinister walked from the window and over to his lab. The lab was completely destroyed, a wall missing, the glass tube that once contained the boy was also destroyed, the boy gone. While he had Jean Grey in the "pens" he had taken sample from her and joined them from some he had of Scott. With the two most powerful mutants combined, he created a mutant with enough power to rival even Apocalypse. He dubbed the mutant Nathan Grey, whose main reason of being alive was to take on Apocalypse and his adopted son. The hole in the wall looked out over Apocalypse Island, formally Manhattan. Apocalypse showed his true power by replacing the Statue of Liberty with homage to himself. A grim reminder to all those who attempted to overthrow him. Sinister had taken the head of the statue as his own lab, who knew that someone had the nerve to attack it. It had been an entire week since the boy had become missing, but the question is: Who let the child out??  
  
Who indeed...?  
  
________________________________________________________________________  
  
Next up: Sinister leaves Apocalypse with a bang. The introduction of Nathan and Forge. Nathan and Forge meets a new stranger, what does he have that connects to Sinister and Apocalypse?   



	2. Awakening

Heroes and Rivals  
  
Chapter Two: Welcome home Nathan  
_____________________________________________  
  
Dreaming, a state during REM sleep that allows the dreamer to reflect back on pas events or allows them dream of something more. For Nate Grey the dreams were always the same. In his dreams he could see the man's smile, red lips on a white face, eyes blood red. It was the type of dream that would make the most normal man wake up screaming in a cold sweat. But for Nate it wasn't just a dream, it was his own past. But the dreams always got better, when the man with one eye appeared, his savior.   
_________________________________________________  
  
The tube shattered with one shot of a precisely located shot of a ruby red optic beam. The liquid flowed out of it as the figure inside the tube slowly dropped to the floor. Scoot also known as Cyclops lifted the boy up, removing the breathing apparatus from the boy's throat. There was a strange feeling deep in Scott's heart, like he knew this boy. The boy's hair was brown and wavy with a hint of white in his bangs. His eyes fluttered open for the fist time outside of the tube, his eyes were a different color. The left eye was blue while the right eye had a gold tint to it. Scott had seen these eyes before, a memory from long ago.   
  
"Your fine now son"  
  
"Who am I?"  
  
Scott lifted up the chart on the computer; Sinister must have wiped the boys mind clear after he captured him. Scott's heart went out to the boy as his one eye read the chart.   
  
"Says here that your name is Nathan, Nathan Grey"  
  
Grey?? Scott knew that name, but from where?  
  
Nate stood up from the ground. The floor was full of broken shards of glass and that liquid he was in, he started to shiver uncontrollably. When he looked at Scott and back to himself, he realized what he was missing-clothes. Scott smiled as he pulled a pair of pants out of his pack and tossing them over to Nate.   
  
"Your fine now Nathan"  
  
"Call me Nate"  
  
"Well Nate we must hurry, soon Sinister will return. I have to get you out of the city"  
  
He walked over to Nate, holding a hand out. Nate's head began to hurt terribly.   
  
"Ahh the pain!!"  
  
He sank to the floor holding his head; a faint trickle of blood ran down his nose  
  
"What is it son??" Scott rushed over to his side  
  
"NO, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Nate shrank away from Scott; the floor began to shake as Nate began to bright up with a yellow power. Scott stumbled back away from the boy, both amazed at what he was seeing and frightened of it at the same time. Suddenly a blast of energy erupted from Nate, blowing a hole in the wall. Nate rushed over to it and leaped out.   
  
"NO, boy!!" Scott ran over to the hole and watched Nate fall. Nate craned his head up to look once again in the face of Scott; the look on Scott's face was envy.   
  
"Nate wake up!!"  
  
_____________________________________________________________  
  
Nate felt strong arms shake him as he awoke finally and looked up into the face of the half mechanical Forge. Forge had become almost like a father to Nate after finding him all those months ago. Forge had known that Nate was special; he had begun to train Nate on how to control his powers.   
  
"Forge, I was having this dream. I was back in the tube again and then that man appeared and freed me. Then WHAM!! I let out this huge TK burst and..."  
  
Forge clamped his metal hand over Nate's mouth.   
  
"Look around you"  
  
Nate looked around wild-eyed, he was sitting in a crater, the TK blast wasn't from his dream, it had happened for real. Nate pulled Forge's hand away from his mouth. The nineteen year old looked sheepishly at his feet.   
  
"I'm sorry Forge," he whispered  
  
"It is alright Nate, we all lose control from time to time"  
  
Nate just stared at his feet. He knew that Forge was upset with him, Apocalypse had what he called a "brain trust" which held some of the most powerful telepathic minds, just the minds that is. The telepath's bodies were completely destroyed and their brains were removed all by the hands of the Dark Beast. It was a way of keeping track of all the mutants in the US, a first warning against attacks on the high lord. The "trust" was led by an extremely powerful telepath named the Shadow King. The Shadow King kept an eye out on the astral plane for jumps or quakes in it. What Nate had just done was create a tremble on the astral plane so large that every telepath was feeling effects from it. There was probably a strike force of Infinites on its way. Nate and Forge had been running from them for some time now, especially now that Forge was teaching Nate to use his powers to help him fight against Apocalypse's cullings. Nate looked up to see Forge smiling at him.   
  
"It will be alright, it is fine to cut loose from time to time" he laid a hand down on Nate's shoulder "But lets have a warning before you do that again"  
  
Nate looked up and grinned at Forge. Nate stood and brushed his pants off. He was wearing a black coat and black pants, with a gray shirt. Forge had found that jacket in an old clothing store; it had a big red X stitched on the back. It was Nate's prize possession, even in battles the coat as walked away without a scratch. The infinites began to call Nate the "X-Man". Nate walked over and climbed into the back of the horse cart that he and Forge had been traveling around for months now. Forge climbed on and took the horse reigns.   
  
"YAA" he cried as the horse made their gallop away from the crater. Forge glanced over to Nate as he drove away; he had to smile at him. Nate was still just a child but he was attempting so hard to be more adult. Erik was right; Nate was that mutant that would save them all. Forge remembered finding Nate outside of old New York; he nursed him back to health and discovered Nate's powers. Magneto had Forge under frequent reports, letting Erik know wherever they were and what they were doing. One day he brought the subject up of Nate.   
  
"Erik I think I have found that mutant you said would save us all"  
  
Erik smiled as he put his helmet down on the table.   
  
"Forge I have no doubt in my mind, that the Nate is the one that Charles spoke of"  
  
Forge smiled at Erik, it was a great honor to hear him speak of Xaiver, the man that could have been the mutant's savior.   
  
"I will train him Erik and then bring him back to you"  
  
Erik stood and nodded as his son Pietro or Quicksilver ran into the room and whispered something in his ear  
  
"I'm sorry Forge but something has just come up with a traveler we found named Bishop"  
  
"Do you need help?"  
  
"That won't be necessary Forge, train the boy right"  
  
Erik turned and walked out the room, his cape flowing in the window. Erik was the leader of what he called the "X-Men", it was a team of rogue mutants that were against Apocalypse's rule and attempted to over throw Apocalypse's rule. Just to get Erik to speak to Forge took many days.   
  
With the memory passing he glanced back over to Nate who was staring at something down the road. He looked down the road and saw finally what Nate was seeing. It was a man dressed in a long dark coat with a hood. Nate began to power up just in case this guy meant trouble; Forge snapped at Nate and shook his head.   
  
That's not how you make friends Nathan Forge said over their telepathic link. Along with Nate's ability of telekinesis Nate was also a telepath who could read the minds of others. No matter where Forge was, Nate could keep up with him.   
  
The man made it to the cart and brought his hood down allowing them to see his face, the man had a long black ponytail and a red diamond affixed in his forehead.   
  
"Hello stranger my name is Forge and my companion's name is Nathan"  
  
"Call me Nate"  
  
The man smiled brightly allowing his white teeth to show. It was almost a blinding light to Nate as he attempted to read Essex's mind, but there was like a barrier in place that he couldn't get through.   
  
"You may call me Essex  
  
Back on Apocalypse Island, Scott Summers climbed the stairs in the head of Apocalypse's statue.  
  
"Sinister are you there??" he called up the stairs-no answer  
  
Scott was beginning to get worried, Sinister had not been seen in weeks now and Apocalypse was beginning to become impatient, and when he became impatient whole species were killed. Scott reached the front door and banged on it loudly, still no answer was heard from inside. Scott reached down and jiggled the doorknob, it turned easily. Scott let himself, the room was still in shambles from Nathan's escape, books and files were scattered all over the floor. A bookcase was pulled down in what appeared in one of Sinister's rages. Scott glanced at some of the files; most of them were on the horsemen and the prelates. He walked over to the computer and lifted up a file, his file that is. Suddenly if on cue the computers suddenly flashed on, its message was simple: Good-bye my children. A five second timer appeared and began to wind down.   
  
"Oh shit" Scott made a break for the door and made it just as the first explosion rocked the statue. Then another went off, and another, the statue head was suddenly blown off, the force of the blast threw Scott down the stairs. When the dust cleared, Scott stood back up, a cut on his forehead trickled blood down his face. He looked down to see that he was still clutching his file in his hand. What the hell is going on??  
  
Next Up  
  
Nate makes a startling revelation about his powers, and is forced to say good-bye to a friend.   



	3. The Begining of the End

Heroes and Rivals Chapter 3: The Beginning of the End  
  
Night has fallen on US; it was the only time in the day where it seemed to get quiet. There was no screams, no crying, just a black endless void full of pin pricks of light. Nate slept close to the fire; he was completely exhausted from the days work. After meeting up with Essex the trio led an attack against one of Holocaust's culling factories. After destroying it, they set up camp about five miles south of the burnt out factory. To Nate, seeing a culling factory never got easier, the vat upon vat full of genetic materials that were once humans still made him sick to his stomach. The human race was slowly dying out, but when sleep finally came it still lingered in his mind.   
  
Forge watched the boy sleep. It was the only time he was allowed to have the dreams of a child. Dreams that Forge could never give him. He stood and threw another piece of dried wood onto the fire, the fire crackled and exploded upward into the night. Essex sat and stared at the stars, drinking coffee out of a tin cup. He looked over to see Forge walking back over and smiled. Forge shuddered at the smile it was like a hyena smiling after a kill. He settled down next to Essex.   
  
"So what is your story?" Forge asked, keeping an eye out to the fire  
  
"What do you mean", Essex asked, the firelight glinting off the red diamond making it appear to glow  
  
"I mean how does one find itself out in the badlands, alone, with both no food or shelter?"  
  
Essex sighed  
  
"I escaped the pens about a week ago. I had been wondering ever since. What about you and the boy?"  
  
Forge shook his head  
  
"I found Nathan outside the ruins of New York, he just kind of stuck next to me ever since"  
  
"Oh I see" Essex's smile seemed to grow across his lips.   
  
Forge shuddered once again  
  
"Well I think I am going to get some sleep. Good night Essex"  
  
Forge laid down on the ground and before long was fast asleep  
  
"Good night Forge" The fire slowly died to embers, the only light was coming from Essex's eyes-they were glowing a blood red.   
  
The next day Essex brought Nate to a small field, about a mile from their encampment.   
  
"I can sense your power Nathan, but I think there is more there. Tell me can you fly?"  
  
Nate shook his head his brown hair flowed in the wind  
  
"I never have tried"  
  
"Try for me"  
  
Nate shook his head again  
  
"I don't think I should, Apocalypse might find out"  
  
Essex smiled again  
  
"For once don't worry about him, try it"  
  
The wind blew around him, surrounding them. Dead leaves fell from the trees on the ground. Nate could feel the wind at his back as he began to channel his energy into his feet, feeling them lift slowly off the ground. Nate wanted to be like the wind, feel the endless freedom of the sky and the stars above. He began to glow slightly, dimly at first then slowly began to glow brighter and brighter. He started to shake slightly a bright yellowish-gold color surrounded his body. Essex took a step back, amazed to see the power the boy had. The wind began to howl as Nate began to rise higher off the ground. Nate clenched his teeth as the pain in his head grew a trickle of blood ran from his nose, splattering the ground below.   
  
"There you go, make it yours. You control the power, the power does not control you."  
  
Nate gritted his teeth harder as the power exploded from him. Nate took off like a shot from a gun, soaring through the skies. He laughed loudly as he did loop de loops diving towards the ground coming inches from the surface before righting himself and shooting back up.   
  
"This is great, Essex!!!"  
  
Nate soared through the sky, chasing after clouds. But something caught his eye. A squad of infinites was attacking a train full of human refugees. Their telepathic screams hurt Nate, the strain of flying and the screams were affecting his control. He had to help them. He gritted his teeth, anger flushing his face with a deep red color. A fireball rose in the air as the infinites destroyed the locomotive. Nate growled slightly as a infinite raised its blaster against a woman's skull. He laughed as he pulled the trigger, splattering the ground with her blood. She was still clutching her child to her chest. The infinite swung the gun down and prepared to fire again. Nate swooped down  
  
"That's enough!!"  
  
He caught the infinite off guard, tackle ling the monster to the ground. Nate charged his fist with some TK power, slugging the downed soldier. Nate pounded the helmet until it splintered revealing the true face of the soldier. The soldiers eyes were opened up wide, the helmet protected the soldier from all telepathic attacks...until now. Nate sent a telepathic probe into the soldier's mind. The soldier squirmed, attempting to free himself, but Nate held him down, punching him again breaking the soldier's nose, blood oozed from the busted appendage. In the soldier's mind, he was reliving his worst nightmare over and over. The refugees stood in shock as Nate took down infinite after infinite. Nate glanced back to see another infinite holding a young boy by the throat, slowly squeezing the air from his tiny body. Nate rushed over and kicked the soldier in the stomach, the soldier crumbled from the blow, releasing the boy, who crawled away in fear.   
  
"You flatscan lover" the infinite wheezed out. Nate turned back to the soldier only to have a gun butt slammed into his face. Nate's jaw shook with the blow; he could already feel the bruise beginning to well up. Nate jumped to his feet and sent a spin kick to the side of the infinites head. He spun around as threw a fist at the infinites. The infinite caught Nate's hand and began to squeeze it, attempting to break it.   
  
"You should never cross the high lord"  
  
"Oh yeah?" Nate bent down gathering enough energy into his fist, standing back up and connecting to the infinites' jaw with a vicious uppercut, almost taking the infinites' head off. The infinite fell to its knees, blood oozed from its cracked helmet. Nate grabbed the infinite by its throat and began to rise up higher in the air. The infinite screamed as the ground fell away from his feet. Suddenly the link between Forge and Nate shattered. In Nate's minds eye he could see a smiling figure standing over Forge's broken body.   
  
"NO FORGE!!!" Nate let go of the infinite and took off back to the campsite. The infinite fell and exploded when he hit the ground,   
  
Nate flew at supersonic speed; with each moment he could feel Forge slip away.   
  
Forge don't leave me  
  
In time Nathan you will understand  
  
You are special Nathan find Magneto he will...  
  
The mental link that was once so strong between Nate and Forge flickered and dies out, leaving a black void where it once was. Tears streamed down Nate's face as he flew back to the campsite. When he landed, the first thing he saw was the bloodshed that had happened while he was away. Forge's mechanical pieces were thrown everywhere. Nate's stomach lurched as he looked up and saw Forge's mechanical arm still hanging in tree, its mechanical parts spilling outward on the ground. Nate fell to his knees, sobbing his tears left clean streaks down his dirty face.   
  
"Ahh the tears of the innocent, how the fall to the ground nurturing the soil, creating new life"  
  
Nate crouched down beside the lifeless body of Forge; he stood when he heard the voice. He turned to the voice, his eyes wide in shock as Essex stood before him. Essex's body began to mold, shift back into Sinister. Blood dripped from Sinister's hands. Nate gritted his teeth, anger controlled him now...  
  
"You killed him you son of a bitch"  
  
"I had to Nate, with him holding you back, you would have never reached your true potential"  
  
Nate took a step toward him  
  
"You murderer"  
  
"See now you are free, and by my side we can overthrow the rule of Apocalypse and rule the world"  
  
Sinister began to notice that Nate was beginning to glow...brightly. Sinister never saw Nate swing a fist full of TK energy at him. The blow was strong enough to take the head off of a normal person, but luckily for Sinister he wasn't a normal human anymore. Sinister smiled down at Nate.   
  
"That was...amazing, amazing to see that you channeled that much power into one punch"  
  
Blood slowly trickled from Sinister's mouth. He raised a finger to touch it  
  
"No one has made me bleed, I am double impressed"  
  
Nate's anger grew with every word Sinister said  
  
"I'm not here to impress you"  
  
Nate kicked out with his right foot, catching Sinister on the side of the head. The attack caught Sinister off guard he grabbed his head. He had never been hurt like this before, being immortal had that perk. What had he created in Nate?? Nate caught him off guard again with a viscous punch to the kidneys. Sinister doubled over to get where Nate wanted him, a quick spin kick to the head and Sinister was down on the ground.   
  
"Yes, yes more. Show me your anger, your strength" Sinister said as he stood back up  
  
Nate grew brighter and brighter, nothing could stop this guy. And what topped it all off, he kept asking for more. Nate roared with anger and charged at Sinister. He charged up what energy he could spare, blood spilled down from his nose, his head in constant pain. He rushed up to Sinister and hit him as hard as he could in the stomach. Sinister collapsed over Nate's arm.   
  
"You" Nate breathed heavily "Are finished, I can sleep now without seeing your face"  
  
Sinister gasped attempting to breathe, but nothing would happen. Nate removed his hand, Sinister collapsed onto the ground, his hands clutching his stomach.   
  
"Sinister, I want you to remember this: Your "creation" stopped you"  
  
Sinister slowly attempted to stand, holding his stomach. Sinister smiled weakly as he could still feel the blow, the ripping of armor, the tear of his flesh as Nate's hand entered his abdomen. Nate watched him closely as he rose off the ground slowly.   
  
"Thanks for the flying lesson" Nate turned and flew off  
  
Sinister watched Nate fly off, he pulled back his hands as blood flowed freely. He looked at it closely; it had been close to a millennia since he had seen it last  
  
"Could it be...after all these year"  
  
He collapsed onto the ground once again  
  
"I have...been...defeated??"  
  
The last life flickered out of Sinister's eyes, never again would they glow with their sadistic gleam.   
  
Nate flew ate close to Mach 1. Where could he find Magneto? He searched out over the astral plane, singling out Magneto's thought pattern. He could now see what Magneto was seeing. And what Magneto was seeing was Apocalypse. And Magneto was getting his ass handed to him. Nate smiled, Magneto needed help and he owed it to Forge to help him. Nate flew off-back to where it all began for him.   



End file.
